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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-29-2016 08:59 PM

midwesterner

I certainly didn't mean to make light of cancer, particularly since I am in a high-risk group myself.

I haven't always taken the best care of myself but I'm in pretty good shape for my age. As I enter my retirement years I am hoping to do some sailing. So I definitely want to take measures to increase the likelihood that I will be able to do that.

03-29-2016 07:05 PM

Hudsonian

Re: Sailing & Cancer

My experience was funny but it's not a joke. Anorectal melanoma is a rare but frequently deadly form of melanoma. Interestingly melanoma is found most commonly on men's belly, back or chest and on women on their legs, arms, and feet. If melanoma metastacizes to an organ other than the skin (e.g.,liver, lungs, brain, etc.). Sailnet Forum may be an appropriate venue for venting or commiserating about melanoma but a woeful sources of information about treatment or prevention.

I had a melanoma removed from my back. The surgeon estimated my chance of surviving two years was about 30%.

Following the surgery, my dear wife, who was very upset by the prospect of premature widowhood, insisted accompanying me to the dermatologist. He told my wife, "You found the first one. You know what they look like. You'll find the next one if there's a recurrence. But you should know that they are likely to occur between the toes and around the anus." My wife responded, "Well, I'll help him with his toes."

@Hudsonian
,
That is hilarious. That reminds me of popular outdoorsmans' joke:

Two best friends are out hunting. One guy drops his pants to go to the bathroom in the woods and a poisonous snake jumps up out of the leaves and bites him on his butt.

Knowing that he needs to be quiet to slow the advancement of the venom, he calls quietly to his buddy to get help. His buddy looks at the zero signal on his cell phone and climbs to the top of a nearby hill. He calls the snake bite center and describes the snake. They tell him, "You must make a cut at the site of the bite with your knife and suck the venom out and spit it on the ground. Do this quickly or your friend will die."

He goes back to his friend who anxiously asks, "So what did they say?" He says, "I'm sorry buddy. They say you're gonna die."

03-29-2016 05:00 PM

Hudsonian

Re: Sailing & Cancer

Years ago I had a melanoma removed from back. It was found at somewhat advanced stage and the excision was about the size and depth of the palm of my hand. The surgeon estimated my chance of surviving two years was about 30%.

Following the surgery, my dear wife, who was very upset by the prospect of premature widowhood, insisted accompanying me to the dermatologist for the full body screening. When she demanded that I get full body photos to document my baseline condition, the dermatologist responded to her, "You found the first one. You know what they look like. You'll find the next one if there's a recurrence. But you should know that they are likely to occur between the toes and around the anus." My wife responded, "Well, I'll help him with his toes."

I've kept on sailing but reduced the number of regatta and cut out fishing and skiing. When I have the option I opt for night watches on distance races or overnight passages.

Checked out the SundayAfternoons website. Looks like nice stuff, but you really don't have to spend that much to protect yourself from the sun.

I wear a $10 hat that I got from Home Depot. It even floats! Shirts and pants? It's mostly a matter of common sense. You don't have to get clothing with an SPF rating. What my dermatologist told me was that if you can hold it up to the sun and not see a lot of light coming through, then it will protect you pretty well. Light colored, cotton T-shirts do not pass this test. Some light colored clothing with a tight weave can pass the test. Many dark colored clothes can pass the test.

03-29-2016 03:49 PM

midwesterner

I can repeat nearly everything denverd0n said. I'm that fair-skinned, freckle faced, red hair skin type that burns easily. I neglected my skin a lot as a young man and had lots of sunburns.

I see a dermatologist annually and have had a number of pre-cancerous spots frozen off and couple of spots biopsied that proved to be benign.

My dermatologist is recommending I do a chemical peel to remove all of the sun damaged spots on my face. I shared with my dermatologist that I canoe and kayak a lot and want to add sailing to my water activities. He supported by activities but told me to just cover up and protect my skin.

He recommended RV blocking clothing made by Columbia and a website called SundayAfternoons.

I had my first basal cell carcinoma removed in 1991. I have had too many patches of skin sliced, burned, or scraped off since then to even count. So far (fingers crossed) only one melanoma, and they are pretty sure that they got it all.

Yes, certainly there is sailing after skin cancer. Learn about protecting your skin. What kinds of clothes are effective, what kinds of sunscreens are effective. Wear hats--ALWAYS! Be aware of reflected sun. Be careful and start treating your skin with the respect that it deserves.

As I understand this SPF thing, no sunscreen should be expected to provide protection for more than 2 hours. So if I go cruising to a remote area (say Marshall Islands) for six months and I have four people on board needing 6 applications of sunscreen a day . . . . That's a lot of sunscreen to stow - enough for 4300 applications (not including after swimming, diving, showers, etc.)

Note to self - revise cruising budget.

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